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So you've finished your headshot session and have a great new set of photos, but what now? What's the best way to use your headshots?

1. Update Your Social MediaDo you have social media accounts specifically devoted to your professional or acting persona? Spruce up that old photo taken in your kitchen with your new professional photo, your pages will not only look slick but will consolidate your personal "brand."

2. Get Some Hard CopiesIf you are an actor hard-copy headshots are a must. Not only are they great for sending out to casting calls, but they can be invaluable to have on-hand when you go into auditions. Staple your headshot to the back of your resume and carefully trim the the excess around the photo.

If you're not an actor, using your headshot on business cards is a great way to keep your face in people's minds; companies like Moo even let you print different images on different cards giving you the opportunity to print serious shots, friendly shots, commercial shots, and dramatic shots.

3. Submit Your Headshot OnlineMany casting calls may prefer you submit a digital image online instead of mailing a hard-copy, this allows you to submit to more jobs in addition to those you are submitting to with prints. Upload the highest resolution headshot you can and allow yourself a more professional edge to those who may be submitting DIY headshots.

4. Retouch! To make your headshot even more polished, you can have your favorite expressions professionally retouched. Removing fly away hairs and blemishes and whitening teeth can make your commitment to your professionalism even more evident in a first impression.

This post is for any of our photographer friends who may be coming to visit us for headshots! One of the signature aspects to the look of our headshots is a sharp subject and a blurry background, or very shallow depth of field. But how do we achieve this style?

The first part of this magic equation is, of course, the camera. We shoot with a full frame D4S. The full frame is important to the depth of field as crop sensor cameras increase DoF by one stop, even when shot with the same technical focal length and f-stop, giving you a less blurry background. (Check out this article if you're interested in shooting on crop sensor cameras).

Next is the lenses! The faster the lens, the shallower the depth of field. Our main headshot lenses are an 85mm f/1.8 and a 70-200mm f/2.8. But what do we mean by "fast" lenses? This refers to how wide the aperture will open. The wider the aperture the more light will be let into the camera and the shallower the depth of field, so the blurrier the background. We typically shoot around f/2.8. Shooting lower than f/2.8 can in fact make the focus too shallow, potentially affecting the sharpness on the subject that we really like.

This full frame/fast lens combination is important for the blurry background look because it ensures outdoor backgrounds remain dynamic and atmospheric but do not distract from a subject. Slower lenses and crop sensor cameras can make background details more distinguishable; we want the color of the bushes in the background, but we don't want a viewer's focus to shift from the subject of the headshot to leaves behind them!

Have more questions about our gear? We would love to hear them! Leave us a comment or tweet us @mjbhomeent !

One of the biggest questions we are asked when setting up headshot sessions is "what should I bring?" At this point, we've put together a pretty comprehensive collection of supplies, but there sometimes little things that can make a shoot that much better.

1. A Second Shirt and/or Tie OptionEven if you are only coming in for a quick session, having an extra shirt, tie, or jacket can be a great help to get the best looking headshot. Say it's a hot summer day and the shirt you're wearing gets wrinkled on the train, having a second shirt will keep you confident that you will be looking your best.

Having an extra shirt, tie, or jacket combination also gives you more options for the look of your headshot. If you want a colorful background, it's great to have a few options to ensure your colors don't clash. Also, different shirts often flatter differently on camera, if you have several options we can help you pick what will make the best headshot.

2. Your Favorite MakeupIf you choose to invest in our stylist, we have a full makeup kit at the studio so this is definitely not a necessity, but sometimes using a product you love will make you feel more confident and allow us to capture the most "you" headshot.

Say you have a great mascara that thickens your eyelashes exactly how you like them, if you have done your own makeup for a shoot, having that on hand will keep you looking fresh and allow you to make any adjustments you need.

3. A Little Bit of OptimismWe know that, especially for people who do not like to have their photo taken and do not get headshots taken frequently, the process can seem uncomfortable. It is always our goal to get the best shot for you and have fun while we're shooting. If you come in looking forward to a bit of fun and are willing to laugh, either at us or at the feeling of being in front of the camera, your headshots will not only radiate that genuineness but the process will feel less like work and more like hanging out!